


Pieces

by orphan_account



Series: i saw you in a dream. [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Buckler? Can we call them that?, Dreams vs. Reality, False Memories, Family Video (Stranger Things), Flashbacks, Implied Gay Mike Wheeler, Lesbian Robin Buckley, Memory Alteration, Mentor Robin Buckley, Temporary Amnesia, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:29:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29096550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The family video part of chapter 2 from Robin's perspective. She imparts wisdom, and has odd flashbacks of a vaguely familiar russian phrase._______"I don't know," Mike says, "I haven't been feeling too great for the past week. I feel like something's off - nevermind, maybe it's stupid."Robin knows what he means. She feels it too. If she thinks about it, - really thinks about it, it's been a week for her as well. Almost every night she has these weirdly vivid dreams of the major douche Steve Harrington crying over her dead, bloody corpse. What type of bullcrap is that? She doesn't even talk to Steve. Or want to. Why would he be crying over her dead body? The mind makes up some weird shit.
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Mayfield & Mike Wheeler, Robin Buckley & Mike Wheeler
Series: i saw you in a dream. [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2134764
Kudos: 6





	Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> *TW* - mentioned blood/gore.
> 
> Corresponds with Chapter 2, 'Honey Dreams'. From Robin's POV. 
> 
> Book mentioned - 'The Price of Salt' by Patricia Highsmith.

Robin sits on the stool by the counter, reading The Price of Salt. Her twelfth book of the week. _What? She likes reading._

She reads a particular section over and over, unable to concentrate with the loud stomping noises Eddie makes as he walks around the store. Unloading all the vhs tapes onto shelves and in their correct place. He was insufferable when it came to keeping things organized. Robin thought the mess was fine. It made the place feel real, not like some polished, picture perfect magazine cover. 

_"Was it love or wasn't it that she felt for Carol? And how absurd it was that she didn't even know. She had heard about girls falling in love, and she knew what kind of people they were and what they looked like. Neither she nor Carol looked like that. Yet the way she felt about Carol passed all the tests for love and fitted all the descriptions."_

So she reads it for the third time over, and that's when she has enough.

When Eddie rounds the corner, she yells out, "Hey dingus!" He stops, holding onto at least four tapes. 

They've been best buds for a year now. They argue _all_ the time. Mike always laughs. Robin can't believe how stupid Eddie is sometimes. It's a fun back and forth, even if she wants to pretend she hates him. All Robin calls him is dingus. She rarely uses his real name. Dingus is just somehow _right_ for him. 

"Yeah?" 

"Can you just chill for a second? You're pacing around the store. I can hear you, you know. Actually, I can hear everything you are _extremely_ loud." 

"Fine," Eddie shrugs, "But it won't be my fault if you get fired." 

"Fired? How am I gonna get fired, dingus?"

_She could fire him._

"I'm the manager… I could fire you." 

"Sure you would." He replies before disappearing down the third aisle. Ignoring the 'threat', that she would never act on. 

Robin puts her marker on her page, closing the book. She slides it on the counter, bumping Mike's shoulder, playfully. "I would." The corners of her lips tug up into a smile. 

_Why does he look so down?_ Robin's been looking up from her page occasionally and seeing him just look around the store, blankly. It's like he's not there. 

_What is going on in that head of his?_ Robin thinks. 

"Hey. I actually wanted to know if there was anything bothering you," It just comes out without any thought. She can't stop herself, "You haven't said much today and usually you're a chatterbox." 

"I don't know," Mike says, "I haven't been feeling too great for the past week. I feel like something's off - nevermind, maybe it's stupid."

_Robin knows what he means._ She feels it too. If she thinks about it, - _really_ thinks about it, it's been a week for her as well. Almost every night she has these weirdly vivid dreams of the major douche Steve Harrington crying over her dead, bloody corpse. _What type of bullcrap is that?_ She doesn't even talk to Steve. Or want to. Why would he be crying over _her_ dead body? The mind makes up some weird shit. 

"No, it's not. Trust me." She reassures him, " 'Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them, that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality.' Lao Tzu. He was a Chinese philosopher," She shrugs, brushing a bit of her dirty blonde hair out of her face, "But I think it applies."

_"Nedelya dlinnaya. Serebryanyy kot kormit, kogda siniy vstrechayetsya s zheltym na zapade. Poyezdka v Kitay zvuchit neplokho, yesli deystvovat' ostorozhno."_

She shakes her head, trying to clear the thoughts. _Wait, is that russian?_ Since when does she know russian? She feels like she's heard that phrase before. _'Kitay?_ ' It's giving her a strong sense of deja vu. Before she has any more time to ponder it the door swings open. Max Mayfield enters. Red orangish hair tied up into a messy ponytail. Freckles splattered all over her nose bridge and cheeks. She smiles, but it's not directed at her. It's directed at Mike. _Robin always did think they were an odd couple. Mike never really seemed that into her._ She had her thoughts about him being like her, but was clearly wrong. He's in a relationship. With a _girl._

"Hey, Wheeler." Max says, then turns to Robin, "Hey, Rob." 

"Hey." She and Mike respond in unison. They glance at each other, _why does he look so nervous? Since when does_ **_Max_ ** _make him nervous?_

"I'm having such a shitty day. I have _tons_ of calc homework." Max exhales, dropping her bag down on the counter. She unzips it, trifling through, before she reaches for a vhs tape, handing it to Mike, "Here." 

He takes it from her. Looking like he's somewhere far away. Daydreaming. _Oh, god, is he high? Did Eddie give him something?_ No. He wouldn't do that. _At least not at work._ "Thanks." 

Robin backs up from the counter a little, giving them their space to have a private conversation but still at a comfortable distance where she can hear it all clearly. "No problem. Wanna come by my house later? You could help me with my _calculus_." 

She watches as Mike becomes more uncomfortable, he's even breaking a sweat, nervously glancing back at her and all around the store. _Okay? What's up?_

"I, I, uh, actually, my mom needs help with something." Robin knows he's lying. His mother doesn't need him for anything. It's bullshit."Yeah. My mom needs help. Sucks though, I would have _loved_ to come over." 

_You wouldn't have. That's why you lied,_ She thinks. 

"Oh, really?" Max says back suggestively. 

_Definitely not the energy Mike was throwing out there._ Robin sees him break eye contact, looking for nothing - and something at the same time. _That's when she realizes what's happening._

She jumps in, unable to see Mike in his current position right now, "Ew. No one wants to hear your weird flirting, children," 

_Max._

"Especially not _suggestive_ flirting."

"Alright." Max says, throwing her book bag back on her shoulders, "I'll see you later." She gives him a short peck on the cheek. "Call me." 

He nods, unsure of himself, "See you." 

After Max leaves Robin looks at him, arm extended, hand cupping his cheeks, "Wheeler, let me give you another piece of advice. Don't string her along." She pats his shoulder, then returns to her stool and book. 

_"How was it possible to be afraid and in love … The two things did not go together. How was it possible to be afraid, when the two of them grew stronger together every day? And every night. Every night was different, and every morning. Together they possessed a miracle."_

  
  
  


"Mike!" Robin shouts from down the street. He turns around, hands stuffed into his jacket pockets. 

"Come in earlier tomorrow. I might sleep in." She walks backwards keeping her eyes on him, "If you feel any more of your weirdness, call me!" 

_Maybe she can find a pattern._

He nods, shouting back at her, "Okay! See you tomorrow!" 

_Mike's right. Something does feel off._ Though Robin can't put her finger on it. 

She only gets pieces… 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> It seems not only Mike has the dreams... 
> 
> Eddie Munson fills Steve Harrington's shoes, but he could never replace him.
> 
> Thank you for reading !! Any comments or criticisms will be well received. <3.


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